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* * *
The next morning, armed with a search warrant, Meadow, Gil, Jeff, and an assistant district attorney presented themselves at Mike Markson’s store as soon as he unlocked it.
He ground his teeth when they handed him the warrant.
“I’m sorry, Mike,” Jeff said quietly. “Is Gary here?”
He drew in a long breath. “He was up late last night making phone calls out of state,” the old man said sadly. “He’s sound asleep.” He grimaced. “He did it, didn’t he? I suspected, but I didn’t really want to know.” He swallowed. “The writing desk is in his room. I was going to call you. I couldn’t let him get away with stealing something so precious.”
“Did you know about the other thefts?”
Mike shook his head. “He’s my son. I love him, even if he’s done bad things. But I won’t harbor a thief in the business I’ve spent my life building up.”
Jeff put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “Has he ever been in trouble with the law?”
Mike shook his head. “Not even a parking ticket.”
Jeff smiled. “Get him a good lawyer. He can plead first offender status. If he keeps his nose clean, his record will be wiped.”
“Really?” Mike’s face brightened. “Really?”
The assistant district attorney turned to him. “Yes. Really. But he’ll have to be put on probation, and it won’t be an easy ride.”
“I’ll make sure he does what he’s supposed to,” Mike said firmly. “I messed up once with him. Never again.”
Jeff and Meadow smiled.
“Let’s go talk to him,” Jeff said.
* * *
Gary wasn’t really surprised to see his visitors. He gave up without a struggle. He even confessed to the thefts and offered to give the names of his buyers. He was taken to detention, booked, and assigned to a cell pending arraignment.
“Didn’t that work out unusually well?” Gil asked with a chuckle when they were back in the office.
“I know something else that’s going to work out unusually well,” Meadow mused as she watched Dal come in the door.
“Hi,” Jeff said.
“Hi. I came to steal your deputy for a late breakfast.”
“But we hardly know each other,” Gil protested. “And you haven’t even brought me flowers!”
“Shut up,” Dal muttered. “I’m not taking you anywhere. Your socks don’t match.”
Gil looked down and grimaced. “Not my fault. I didn’t have the lights on when I got dressed.”
“He’s taking me out to breakfast,” Meadow pointed out.
“Yes, and he’s proposing,” Dal added, holding out an open jeweler’s box. “You said rubies, I believe?”
Meadow caught her breath. She’d envisioned a small stone in a small ring. This was a wedding band studded with rubies and a solitaire that looked to be about two carats.
“Will you?” Dal asked with a warm smile.
“Will I?” she stammered.
“Well, if you want the works . . .” He led her to a chair, seated her, went down on one knee, removed his wide-brimmed hat, and said, “Miss Dawson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
